Page 134 of Wicked Dreams

No mention of my impending eighteenth birthday. Will I even be in the county tohavefriends—or, more accurately, one friend—in three months?

“Thank you,” I answer.

She ventures deeper into my room and sits beside me. “We need to talk tomorrow. Robert and I wanted to check in with you after your social worker’s visit, but things just got a little crazy…”

“It’s okay.” I fiddle with the blanket on my lap.

Between Lenora working late and my inability to do anything except for homework, I’ve had a few movie nights with Robert and some nights of crashing early. In reality, I’ve barely seen Lenora this week.

“We’ll do a brunch tomorrow. I found a new French toast recipe that I’ve been eager to try. Will you help me?”

I grin. “I love French toast.”

“It’s a date.”

Robert calls Lenora’s name from downstairs, and she pats my wrist.

“I’m being summoned,” she says. “Have a nice quiet evening.”

“See you tomorrow.”

She tentatively leans forward, wrapping her arms around me. “Is this okay?”

“Yeah.” I hug her back, resting my chin on her shoulder.

It feels… nice.

She releases me when I drop my arms, and then she’s gone. I listen for the front door to close, then shove my homework off my bed. I flop backward and close my eyes.

My mother flashes in front of my closed eyelids.

“What did you do, Margo?”She looms giant in my memory, gripping my shoulders.

I don’t answer, and she shakes me back and forth.

“Mom,” I cry.

“Margo.”

I thrash, trying to break her bruising grip.

“Margo!”

“Stop,” I moan.

“Wake up!”

My eyes snap open, focusing on Caleb.

His eyebrows are creased.

I try to remember what I was dreaming about. It seems impossible that I fell asleep, but the clock tells me an hour has passed.

“You were crying for your mom,” he murmurs.

The scene zooms back to the forefront of my mind.

I throw my arms around his neck and burst into tears.

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